~Off Topic Thread~

[no name 1]

Hehe - I went there but you left!!!

Sorry, trying to book a flight & somehow your site blocks other windows???

[Jeraly 4]

It was working ok for me in firefox and Robin said it was ok in ie as well... weird

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Hello guys! Congratulations Julez!!! Hope the house sale is finalised with the minimum of fuss. The house must have been nice to go so quickly! Sorry I didn't post earlier, I read this thread now and again on the road, on my phone, but I'm too lazy to post on the small keyboard.

Aly and Muffin, I might be around tomorrow, though I'm not sure. We may be out looking for a new-old car, but if i'm here, I'll be chatting.

Well, you could say that we found a place to live. We'd been looking at tons of apartments, we found one we really liked on Tuesday, and we put in an application. They called us the next day, and said that our credit was fine, but since we don't have jobs, they would have to take a double deposit, and 2 months upfront, but that second month would be applied to our 4th month living there. Are you following this? Essentially they wanted a month upfront, and 3 months rent worth of deposit. We actually had an hour or two of being so shellshocked that we considered it.

We found another place, that I wasnt' so keen on but C really liked it, and they had a move in special of 2 months free (it was a new development they were trying to fill up). So we asked about the application procedure. It was very simple, credit check and our last 3 pay stubbs. Well, the last 3 pay stubbs we have are in GBP£. Hmmmm. If we couldn't show current employment, then we had to show that we could pay for at least the next 6 months of rent from our savings. They had a formula for this, rent x 3 x 6months. So for rent of $1850, that would be $33,300. Well, we have some savings, but nowhere near that much.

Soooooooo. We have come full circle, and decided to move in to the Archstone Los Feliz for 3 months. Get ourselves some jobs and a couple of cars, and hopefully settle in to the city, and try this again then. By then we will have a much better idea of where we want to live and what we can afford, so I think it's a good decision. I only wish we'd made it a month ago. Oh well. We're certainly getting to know our way around now.

Hope everyone else had a better week than me.

xxx Poit (aka Pointy )

[Gemmie 142]

Hello guys! Congratulations Julez!!! Hope the house sale is finalised with the minimum of fuss. The house must have been nice to go so quickly! Sorry I didn't post earlier, I read this thread now and again on the road, on my phone, but I'm too lazy to post on the small keyboard.

Aly and Muffin, I might be around tomorrow, though I'm not sure. We may be out looking for a new-old car, but if i'm here, I'll be chatting.

Well, you could say that we found a place to live. We'd been looking at tons of apartments, we found one we really liked on Tuesday, and we put in an application. They called us the next day, and said that our credit was fine, but since we don't have jobs, they would have to take a double deposit, and 2 months upfront, but that second month would be applied to our 4th month living there. Are you following this? Essentially they wanted a month upfront, and 3 months rent worth of deposit. We actually had an hour or two of being so shellshocked that we considered it.

We found another place, that I wasnt' so keen on but C really liked it, and they had a move in special of 2 months free (it was a new development they were trying to fill up). So we asked about the application procedure. It was very simple, credit check and our last 3 pay stubbs. Well, the last 3 pay stubbs we have are in GBP£. Hmmmm. If we couldn't show current employment, then we had to show that we could pay for at least the next 6 months of rent from our savings. They had a formula for this, rent x 3 x 6months. So for rent of $1850, that would be $33,300. Well, we have some savings, but nowhere near that much.

Soooooooo. We have come full circle, and decided to move in to the Archstone Los Feliz for 3 months. Get ourselves some jobs and a couple of cars, and hopefully settle in to the city, and try this again then. By then we will have a much better idea of where we want to live and what we can afford, so I think it's a good decision. I only wish we'd made it a month ago. Oh well. We're certainly getting to know our way around now.

Hope everyone else had a better week than me.

xxx Poit (aka Pointy )

ooooh that IS a lot of money... I really hope not all places are going to be like that. I'm quite happy paying the monthly rent each month, from paycheck to paycheck (once we get the income and place, that is!)

I'm glad you feel that you've learned a lesson though; getting a good idea of what's around and what you can afford etc.

My week has been OK... I can finally afford to pay my rent off, which is the reason I had to leave the US and come back to work. Such a good feeling to know I worked really hard to cover those outgoings and I get rewarded by a trip back to the US in a few weeks! I know I probably shouldn't go... we can barely afford anything at the moment, but you guys are a LOT stronger than me. I can't handle going until Christmas without seeing my fiancee. Luckily, I have a great best friend that is more than happy to loan me some money for a night out while all of mine goes towards visits!

[Ban Hammer 13,472]

good morning everyone.

Jeraly, good luck with the aos forms, they are more difficult imo than the i-129f package.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

That sucks Pointy - if it makes you feel any better I got the same level of hassle and I had a job, though I guess my US credit was shot for being out of the country for 10 years. I finally printed out a copy of my UK credit report and started bringing it to show potential landlords. Thankfully my current lanlady, as incredibly stupid as she is, realized that it was a valid way to assess my credit-worthiness and let me have the place.

It's amazing how much money some landlords want up front or for depost. I imagine if most people had $30k liquid they would be looking to put a downpayment on their own place, not lining some greedy landlord's pocket.

[no name 1]

It's amazing how much money some landlords want up front or for depost. I imagine if most people had $30k liquid they would be looking to put a downpayment on their own place, not lining some greedy landlord's pocket.

we had a helluva time too. It sucks. Nothing as bad as NYC but still.

Speaking of, streetshot of where I'm working today (corp HQ) 13th floor.... :

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

It did suck, but the archstone was happy to let us stay for a few months, so that's what we're going to do. Hopefully by the time we're looking again, we can be in a better situation. But I'm glad to hear that it's not just us.

Now to cars, jobs and furniture. Man, this setting-up-a-new-life is getting old already.

Nice digs Dev!! That's a seriously cool view!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Crapsticks. Looks like I'm not going to Vegas after all -- the friend has flaked and hasn't gotten back in touch about any details of meeting up, so we're not going to travel all that way in hopes that she *might* find a few minutes to spare. This is not the first time she's done something like this to us. She's really Bruce's friend, not mine, and it breaks his heart when she doesn't think to tell him her plans have changed. I wish he'd just drop her.

[no name 1]

Crapsticks. Looks like I'm not going to Vegas after all -- the friend has flaked and hasn't gotten back in touch about any details of meeting up, so we're not going to travel all that way in hopes that she *might* find a few minutes to spare. This is not the first time she's done something like this to us. She's really Bruce's friend, not mine, and it breaks his heart when she doesn't think to tell him her plans have changed. I wish he'd just drop her.

LA (UK) girls trip to Vegas!!!

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I'm sorry to hear that Maven. It's a pain to have people flake at the last minute. On the other hand, now you've got the weekend free to help me buy a car!!!!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

LA (UK) girls trip to Vegas!!!

Yes!

I'm sorry to hear that Maven. It's a pain to have people flake at the last minute. On the other hand, now you've got the weekend free to help me buy a car!!!!

Well, I did offer, I s'pose...

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Does this look too good to be true?

Vegas eh? Hmmm, now that's interesting....

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

According to Kelly Blue Book, that car is worth $12k in a private sale!

http://www.kbb.com/KBB/UsedCars/PricingRep...QuizConditions=

[no name 1]

Does this look too good to be true?

yes.